Frederick County Sustainability Commission

10/31/2026

Profile of Chocolates and Tomatoes Farm, 🏆winner of the 2026 Frederick County Sustainability Award for the small business category!

Since 2019 the Middletown Maryland farm has been undergoing a metamorphosis focusing on regenerative agriculture. Chocolates and Tomatoes Farm knows that the key to growing great produce is the soil. They use nitrogen fixing cover crops and manure from local farms to increase the soil organic matter on their land, which helps them grow over 35 types of fruits and vegetables. In 2022 they also started an orchard, which now has over 500 trees and a meadow. The farm supports the local human population by producing thousands of pounds of produce each year, but it also supports native pollinators and other beneficial insects that are integral to the farm's production system. Rather than using chemicals for pest management, they perform manual pest inspection, use fabric row covers, and encourage beneficial predatory insects. We are so lucky to have Chocolates and Tomatoes Farm as part of our local food economy!

10/27/2026

For DALY Computers and Kevin Lauritzen what goes around comes around, as in the circular economy of course! And that's why they won a Frederick County Sustainability Award 🏆! DALY Computers is an IT solutions company that is creating circular economy for e-waste. E-waste is a huge problem from fire hazards associated with lithium batteries to toxic metals that can leach into soil and groundwater in the landfill.

DALY manages many of the steps necessary for circular economy for e-waste, taking tech that may be obsolete for one company, data-wiping, repairing, and donating or reselling equipment to extend material lifetimes. Unusable hard drives and motherboards are sent for precious metal extractions. Spent batteries are sent back to the factory for recycling or to battery recyclers for proper disposition. When these materials are recycled it reduces the need to mine and refine virgin material.

In addition to extending the material lifetime of useable equipment, over the past 3 years they have sent 8 tons of metals for recycling, 8.5 tones of batteries, and 10 tons of plastics and over the past 5 years they have recycled nearly 300 tons of cardboard.

In the United States we have few laws and incentives around recycling, right to repair, or extended producer responsibility. DALY Computers, driven by their own initiative is paving a road to a circular economy for e-waste in our region, and we are so lucky to have them in Frederick County!

10/26/2026

The 2026 Frederick County Sustainability Award Winners are giving Big 🏆 Energy! Our congratulations to all the winners: Wild Potomac, Chocolates and Tomatoes Farm, DALY Computers, AstraZeneca US, students Anwesha Parida and Mridula Vasudevan, and educator Michael Turell. Thank you all for exemplifying how sustainability can improve every part of our lives!

09/30/2026

Winter’s coming 🥶 ❄️ 🥶, getting a little worried about your utility bills? In 2026 Maryland passed legislation clarifying the rules for “balcony solar” or plug-in solar, smaller, portable solar panels that you can plug directly into a standard outdoor outlet saving you the costly installation associated with rooftop solar. You can find information about the rule for Maryland here: https://psc.maryland.gov/regulated-utilities/electricity/renewable-energy/balcony-solar/ and a helpful guide here https://www.brightsaver.org/

A $29/year membership unlocks balcony solar at exactly what it costs us — $285 for 180W. No roof and no electrician needed.

09/28/2026

Sound on! Checking in on a few of the areas restored with native plants and shrubs this spring in Othello Park. The plants are looking happy and it sounds pretty happy too! This area was planted as part of an initiative to designate Frederick City and County as a Bee City/County by Frederick County Sustainability Commission, Master Gardeners Frederick County Maryland, Frederick County Division of Energy and Environment, Sustainable Frederick, and Mobilize Frederick.

Pictured: Hairy White Oldfield Aster and other native plants, cricket and frog calls.

09/22/2026

We have an empty seat at our table—and it’s missing your brilliant ideas! The Frederick County Sustainability Commission is looking for some new members to help shape our community! You can find the application here: https://frederick.granicus.com/boards/forms/808/apply/5376495?code=10a6411c-e0e1-42ec-8fb5-cab217aee6b2 and more information about the Commission here: https://frederickcountymd.gov/7609/Sustainability-Commission
Pictured is a pretty lil Partridge Pea, scientific name Chamaecrista fasciculata, native to Maryland and friend to bees, butterflies, and birds!

09/16/2026

Did you know you can join most of our meetings from the comfort of your home? Please join us for our September meeting, September 16, from 3-5 pm! You can find a link and instructions to join us online here: https://frederickcountymd.gov/7609/Sustainability-Commission and find our agena, here: https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/AgendaCenter/Sustainability-Commission-18

Picture shows an oakleaf hydrangea, which is native to Maryland!

08/31/2026

The Week’s River Report: Improvements Continue

Drought conditions continue to improve across the watershed, but as one news article says, it’s still pretty droughty out there.

Today’s U.S. Drought Monitor map remains similar to last week, with a swath of Moderate Drought conditions across the center of the watershed and much of the remaining area Abnormally Dry.

Flow at the USGS Point of Rocks gage is Above Normal (in the 75-90th percentile).

Average rain still remains in a deficit though, at 8 inches below average for the past year.

Find more graphs and links in today's newsletter >>> https://mailchi.mp/6c5ba4b3e52a/potomac-news-reservoir-4793313

08/05/2026

Today at 5pm! Hope to see you there!

Whether you really got into your work today or lost your buzz and needed a nap, it's Monday afternoon and we figured a few bee bums would help brighten the mood. You're welcome.

These guys are also here to remind you that there will be a free showing of the documentary "The Little Things That Run the World" next week! August 5 at 5pm.

It will come along with a conversation about Frederick County and City's official friend-of-pollinators status as part of the Bee City USA network. And snacks. Of course we'll have free snacks to keep your energy up. So don’t miss out or you might bee bummed.

Register to save your seat and get all the event details here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/movie-night-the-little-things-that-run-the-world-tickets-1992369587068

07/28/2026

Whether you really got into your work today or lost your buzz and needed a nap, it's Monday afternoon and we figured a few bee bums would help brighten the mood. You're welcome.

These guys are also here to remind you that there will be a free showing of the documentary "The Little Things That Run the World" next week! August 5 at 5pm.

It will come along with a conversation about Frederick County and City's official friend-of-pollinators status as part of the Bee City USA network. And snacks. Of course we'll have free snacks to keep your energy up. So don’t miss out or you might bee bummed.

Register to save your seat and get all the event details here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/movie-night-the-little-things-that-run-the-world-tickets-1992369587068